FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2009
Fire danger rating increases
Rising temperatures bring more restrictions
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that fire danger ratings have increased in northeast Washington. DNR, in cooperation with local fire departments and districts, has placed restrictions on all burning on DNR-protected lands.
Effective 12:01 a.m., July 22, in Ferry County and Stevens County, outside of Fire District 1 & 2, the fire danger rating will increase to ‘high.’ All burning on DNR- protected lands is prohibited, except campfires, which will be allowed only in approved campgrounds.
Effective 12:01 a.m., July 22, the Okanogan County fire danger rating will increase to ‘very high’. All burning on DNR-protected lands is prohibited. Campfires in approved campgrounds will also be prohibited.
The fire danger rating in Spokane County, Stevens County inside Fire District 1 & 2, Pend Oreille County, and Lincoln County remain ‘high’ with all burning on DNR- protected lands prohibited, except campfires which will be allowed only in approved campgrounds.
For those who work in the forest, the Industrial Precaution Level for Zone 684 remains at a 2 and all other zones remain at a 1 in the DNR Northeast Region (Ferry, Pend Oreille, Okanogan, Spokane, Steven, and northern Lincoln counties.
The public is reminded before they burn, check with local authorities on local burn restrictions. For daily updates on burn restrictions, call 1-800-323-BURN or visit DNR’s webpage showing fire danger and burning restrictions by county: http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx .
DNR’s wildfire mission
Administered by Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 12.7 million acres of private, state, and tribal-owned forestlands in Washington. DNR is the state’s largest on-call fire department. During fire season, this includes more than 700 DNR employees who have other permanent jobs with the agency and about 375 seasonal workers. DNR also participates in Washington’s coordinated interagency approach to firefighting.
Media Contact: Guy Gifford, Northeast Region, 509-990-6218, guy.gifford@dnr.wa.gov .
# # #